By Cameron Dubin
Managing Editor of Sports
On June 29th, 2017, Todd Elwell was hired to coach boys’ volleyball at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, capping an end to a historic boys’ volleyball coaching career at Newton South High School.
Elwell, who coached Newton South from 2005-2017, will only be coaching the boys’ volleyball team at MIT in the spring and thus will remain the girls’ volleyball coach at Newton South. He also intends to remain a wellness teacher at the school.
“It is a great honor and privilege to work with MIT and their athletic program. I am blessed to have the opportunity to build on the tradition of excellence in men’s volleyball,” Elwell told MITathletics.com
Elwell leaves behind an impressive career with the Newton South boys’ volleyball program that featured an overall record of 215-50. Elwell’s Lions won five Dual County League Championships, made eight South Sectional Championship appearances, and won the 2014 State Championship while going 25-0. He was also named the 2009 Boys’ Volleyball Coach of the Year by the Boston Globe.
Furthermore, Elwell was inducted into Massachusetts Girls’ Volleyball Coaches Hall of Fame in 2014.
MIT Director of Athletics Julie Soriero is excited to have a coach with great experience and success such as Elwell join their athletic department.
“Todd brings a foundation of experience and maturity to our program. I am pleased that he has accepted our offer and I have confidence that his coaching acumen will be obvious from his very first day on the court,” she said in a press release.
Using a complicated system of numbers and statistics, Elwell has been known for his numbers based system throughout his coaching career.
The next coach of the Newton South boys’ volleyball team has yet to be announced by the Newton South athletic department; however, Elwell always worked closely with a collection of assistant coaches so it can only be assumed that the next coach will come from within the program itself.
Despite the obvious loss of Elwell’s coaching abilities, the Lions will continue to strive forward as a state powerhouse and compete for a championship.
“South volleyball under Elwell was always one of the most dominant programs in the state,” senior David Patkin said. “We’re sad to see him go, but more importantly he laid the foundation for future success.”
